SB 1 
.C69 
Copy 1 



1 



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CONSTITUTION 



JBY-LrAWS; 



COLUMBIAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 



AUGUST, 1833. 



WASHINGTOX; 



PRINTED BY GALES AND SEATOK. 



1833, 



SB I 

C 6^ 



o 



^ 



CONSTITUTION. 



—...►»© ®©«4<'—- 



Article I. 

^ The association shall be styled the " Columbian Horticultural 
Society;" and its object shall be to encourage, promote, and im- 
prove Horticulture, in all its branches. 



Article II. 

The society shall consist of a President, five Vice Presidents, (one 
from each city, and one from each county of the District,) a Treasurer, 
a Corresponding Secretary, a Recording Secretary, and a Council, to 
be elected annually by ballot. 

Article III. 

It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of 
the Society, to state and put questions which shall have been moved 
and seconded, and, in case of an equal number of votes on either side, 
to give the casting vote; to call for accounts and reports from all com- 
mittees; call all extra meetings of the Society, when so requested by 
any three of its members; and generally to execute, or cause to be 
executed, such by-laws and regulations as the Society shall, from 
time to time, enact or adopt. 

Article IV. 

It shall be the duty of the senior Vice President then present, in 
the absence of the President, to take the chair, and shall exercise all 
the authority, privileges, and powers of the President; but if neither 
the President, nor any of the Vice Presidents, be present at any 
meeting of the Society, the Society shall then choose a President 
pro tern, to preside at such meeting. 

Article V. 

It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive all moneys due or 
payable to the Society, and keep and disburse the same in such man- 
ner as shall be, from time to time, directed by the Society. 

Article VI. 

The Corresponding Secretary shall prepare all letters authorized 
to be written bv and in the name of the Society, and conduct its 



correspondence. He shall, moreover, receive and read all letters and 
papers addressed to the Society, and dispose of them in such manner 
as he may be directed by the Society, or as shall be prescribed by 
the By-Laws; and, in his absence, his duties shall be performed by 
the Recording Secretary. 

Article VII. 

It shall be the duty of the Recording Secretary to keep the minutes 
of the proceedings of the Society, and regularly record the same in 
a book to be provided and kept for that purpose; and, in his absence, 
his duties shall be performed by the Corresponding Secretary. But 
in the absence of both Secretaries, the President shall appoint a Cor- 
responding and Recording Secretary pro tempore. 

Ahticle YIII. 

All elections for officers, and for all new members of the Society^ 
shall be by ballot. Candidates for membership shall be proposed and 
balloted for only at stated meetings of the Society. 

Article IX, 

Whenever any member shall, after notice, neglect, for the space 
of one year, to pay his annual dues, his membership shall cease; and 
any member who desires to withdraw from the Society must pay up 
his arrears, and give a written notice of his design to the Recording 
Secretary. 

Article X. 

The stated meetings of the Society shall be held monthly, at such 
time and place as the Society may direct; and five members shall 
constitute a quorum to transact business. 

Article XI. 

The Society shall hold an annual meeting on the first Tuesday of 
June, unless otherwise directed by the Council. 

Article XII. 

The Constitution may be amended in the following manner, viz: 
Every amendment must be proposed at the stated meeting previous 
to its consideration; it shall be entered on the journal, and the Presi- 
dent shall direct it to be read by the Secretary, and stated for dis- 
cussion at the next stated meeting; and if three-fourths of the mem- 
bers present shall vote in favor of adopting it, it shall be recorded as 
part of the Constitution. 



BY-LAWS. 



Art. 1. All the officers of this Society shall be elected at the 
annual or anniversary meeting thereof, of which election at least ten 
clays' notice shall be given by the Recording Secretary in one or 
more newspapers in each of the cities of this District. 

Art. 2. If ten members do not attend on the day specified for the 
election of officers, and give in their votes, the election shall be post- 
poned to some convenient day prior to the next stated meeting of the 
Society, of which due notice shall be given, and the election shall 
then be made without regard to the number present. 

Art. 3. When any vacancy shall happen, by the death or resig- 
nation of any of the officers of the Society, it shall be filled at the 
next stated meeting after the vacancy shall have happened, and the 
election conducted in the same manner as the annual election. 

Art. 4. The Treasurer shall demand and collect all moneys due 
to the Society, and shall deposite the same in some incorporated 
bank in the city of Washington, to the credit of this Society, and 
shall keep regular accounts of all sums received and disbursed by 
him. The accounts of the Treasurer shall be audited annually, at 
least one week previous to the anniversary meeting of the Society, 
by a committee consisting of three members to be appointed by the 
Council; the said committee shall report, at the anniversary meeting, 
the balance in the Treasurer's hands, and the general state of the 
funds of the Society. 

Art. 5. It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretary, and 
of the Recording Secretary, to attend all meetings of the Society; 
and the Corresponding Secretary shall attend the meetings of the 
Council: he shall keep minutes of their proceedings, and record the 
same as they may direct. The Recording Secretary shall keep and 
record the minutes of the Society as directed by the Constitution. 
He shall prepare and give notice of all the meetings of the Society, 
and shall superintend the printing of its transactions under the di- 
rection of the Council. 

Art. 6. The Council shall consist of not less than fifteen mem- 
bers. The President and all the officers of the Society shall be ex~ 
officio members of the Council. Five members shall be a quorum 
for the transaction of business. 

Art. 7. The Council may convene at such times and places as 
it may deem expedient; and the President, or presiding officer of the 



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Society, shall have power to convene meetings of the Council at his 
discretion, and the Corresponding Secretary shall give due notice of 
every meeting directed to he convened. 

Art. 8. The Chairman shall determine the order in which the 
business before the Council shall be taken into consideration; and all 
questions which shall be considered, shall be decided by a majority 
of votes; the chairman giving the casting vote in case of equal di- 
vision. 

Art. 9. The Council shall have the power, as occasion may re- 
quire, to make and establish such by-laws and regulations, not re- 
pugnant to the Constitution of this Society, as shall be deemed useful 
and necessary for the government thereof; such by-laws and regula- 
tions shall be subject, however, to be altered, modified, or repealed, 
by the Society, at its stated meetings, two-thirds of the members 
present concurring in such alteration, modification, or repeal; and 
any of the By-Laws of this Society may, in like manner, be altered, 
modified, or repealed, by the votes of two- thirds of the members 
present at any stated meeting: Provided^ however^ that such altera- 
tion, modification, or repeal, shall not be acted upon until the next 
stated meeting after that at which it shall have been proposed. 

Art. 10. All papers or communications directed or sent to the 
Society shall be referred to the particular consideration of the Coun- 
cil, who may direct the same to be published in the transactions of 
the Society, or otherwise disposed of. 

Art. 11. The Council may, annually, at its discretion, direct rewards 
to be given to such members as may, in the opinion of the Council, 
have essentially advanced the interests of the Society, either by fre- 
quent communications thereto, which shall have been deemed worthy 
of publication in its transactions, or by having made important addi- 
tions to the science of Horticulture, or who, by diligence and exer- 
tions in the service of the Society, shall have merited distinction; and 
may also award premiums to the members of the Society, of such 
value, in such manner, and under such regulations, as may be deemed 
proper and expedient, either for the invention or discovery of any 
new matter in Horticulture, or some important improvement therein; 
or for the exhibition to the Society of any fruits, vegetables, or 
plants of their growth or cultivation, and either new in their kind, or 
of uncommon excellence as to quality; or for any new and successful 
method of cultivating any kind of esculent vegetables, fruits, flowers, 
or ornamental shrubs or trees, or any subjects connected with Horti- 
culture. Provided, that the fruit, vegetables, or plants have been 
exhibited at some one of the meetings of the Society. 

Art. 12. If at any time rewards and premiums shall be awarded 
by the Council, they shall be presented and given to the person or 
persons entitled thereto, or to their representative, by the President, 
or presiding officer of the Society, at its next stated meeting. The 
names of all persons to whom rewards or premiums shall have been 



awarded, in the course of the year, shall be duly recorded, and such 
publicity given thereto as the Council shall direct. 

Art. 13. Each member, before he receives his certiticate of ad- 
mission, or takes his seat, shall affix his signature to a copy of the 
Constitution and By-Laws of the Society in a book which the 
Recording Secretary shall keep for that purpose; and pay into the 
hands of the Treasurer an admission fee of two dollars. 

Art. 14. The election and admission of every member, with the 
lime thereof, shall be recorded. 

Art. 15. Each member shall be bound to an annual contribution 
of three dollars, the first payable at the time of his election. 

Art. 16. Besides the ordinary members of the Society, there 
shall be two classes of members, to wit, honorary members and 
corresponding members. 

Art. 17. Honorary members shall be eminent persons, distinguished 
in this or other countries for their attainments in the science of Hor- 
ticulture, or persons friendly to that science. They shall be proposed 
only by the Council at a stated n)eeting of the Society, and elected 
at that or at a subsequent meeting by the votes of two-thirds of the 
members present. 

Art. 18. Honorary members shall be exempt from the payment of 
lees and contributions, and shall have the privilege of attending all 
meetings of the Society. They shall not be entitled to vote at any 
of its elections or meetings, or be eligible to any office therein. 

Art. 19. Corresponding members of the Society shall be citizens 
of the United States of America, or of other countries, distinguished 
for their practical skill and knowledge in Horticulture. The Cor- 
responding Secretary shall hold correspondence on subjects relating 
to Horticulture w'ith such of them as shall be deemed convenient or 
expedient. 

Art. 20. Expenses incurred by any corresponding member in 
promoting, under the direction of the President or Corresponding 
Secretary, the objects of this Society, as well as any remuneration 
for personal trouble, shall be paid out of the funds of the Society, 
under the direction of the Council. 

Art. 21. Corresponding members shall not be subject to the pay- 
ment of fees or contributions, nor be entitled to any of the privileges 
of members, except that of attending the meetings of the Society; 
but they may receive such rewards and honors as the Council may 
deem expedient to bestow in consideration of meritorious services. 
They shall be proposed and elected in like manner as honorary 
members. 

Art. 22. There shall be transmitted to each honorary member, 
and to each corresponding member, as soon as may be after his 
election, a diploma, or certificate of his election, under the seal of the 
Society, signed by the President, and countersigned by the Secre- 
taries. 



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Art. 23. It shall be the business of the Council, as soon as cir- 
cumstances will admit, to provide for the appointment of Lecturers 
on Botany and Vegetable Physiology, on Entomology, so far as it 
relates to Horticulture, and on Horticultural Chemistry. 

Art. 24. The Council shall provide a seal for the Society, with a 
suitable device, and shall prepare the form of the certificates of 
membership of this Society. 



AVashington, August 21, 1833. 

OFFICERS AND COUNCIL OF THE COLUMBIAN HORTICULTURAL 

SOCIETY. 

Col. N. TowsoN, President, 

V. Maxcy, 1st Vice President, city of Washington. 

Jos. Gales, Jr., 2d Vice President, county of Washington. 

3d Vice President, Georgetown. 

4th Vice President, Alexandria city. 
Richard B. Mason, 5th Vice Pr-esident, Alexandria county. 
William Hewitt, Treasurer. 
George Waterston, Corresponding Secretary. 
W. Hickey, Recording Secretary. 

Members of the Council. 

Messrs. C. K. Gardiner. Messrs. W. W. Seaton. 

R. S. Coxe. C. B. King. 

Fr. Lowndes. Alex'r McWilliams. 

George Bomford. J. S. Gunnell. 

A. LiNDSAY\ R, Barnard. 

J. Pierce. J. Boyle. 

N. Frye. J. P. Ingle. 

J. A. Smith. ^ William Rich. 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 




